Silver Mist Savior
by kaylina
Summary: Usagi is left alone and after a month of running, she finally gets some help from a certain pilot. Can she help him in return and what will happen when her enemies come after her? story has been revised.
1. Chapter 1

The rain fell monotonously, its steady rhythm becoming the heartbeat of the city, coupling with the ever-present hum of nightly noises. Streetlights wavered in misty puddles as shadowed cars disappeared in and out of sight.

A petite silver-haired girl was the only variation in the steadiness of the night as she leaned against an alley wall heavily, gasping for breath. Her silvery blond hair had been ripped out of her traditional hairstyle and hung down to her knees in sopping, stringy waves. The jeans and denim jacket she wore were soaked through and so torn up that it was obvious she had been in a fight.

As she squeezed her eyes shut in pain she could be heard repeating the same phrase over and over again.

"I've got to keep moving… I can't stop. I have to keep moving…" Her whispers went unnoticed by the rest of the night as she slipped into the shadows, vanishing.

0000000000

Rain poured down onto the concrete, washing the city of dirt and rubbish. A young man stepped into a shallow puddle but kept moving, not even noticing. He was walking slowly and calmly, despite the time of night and the neighborhood he was in. Though he seemed relaxed and his eyes were steady as they watched his feet, he was constantly aware of his surroundings and aware of every movement around him.

He didn't seem angry or sad as he walked in the rain… his eyes simply were blank, as if his thoughts were not his own and he rarely felt the need to express his opinion. A dark waterproof jacket and a sweater were his only protection against the downpour. His dark hair was soaked and dripped even more water into his faced as he trudged through the storm.

Shouts and the sound of running drifted to him, cutting through the rain.

Normally he would have ignored the obvious indication of a bar-fight and continued on his way but something happened then that he didn't expect. A girl abruptly ran out of the alley up ahead of him, closely followed by three large men staggering after her; obviously drunk.

The girl limped badly as she ran and the men were quickly gaining on her. The boy watched, frozen, as she approached him, obviously not seeing him as she glanced behind her at her pursuers. She didn't realize he was in front of her until she collided with him.

"Oh!" she cried in fear, the jolt of contact making her stumble into the unknown person.

The young man quickly grabbed her, stopping her fall. He looked at her face for the first time as he held her. Her sliver hair washed over his arms, framing a perfect, heart-shaped face and sweetly tiny features. She couldn't have been taller than 5'4". Her eyes, which she now opened as she realized she wasn't on the ground, were a crystalline blue; one that reminded him of the sky right on the edge of space or of the ocean glinting in the sun. As he looked deeply into her eyes he realized she was staring back at him with a mixture of fear and intense distrust.

"Hey! Get your own play-girl, buddy! She's ours!" a harsh voice pierced through the rain.

The girl shivered and coughed harshly, instantly alerting the boy who held her that she was already sick. Now that he was aware of it he could feel the heat rolling off of her skin in waves, despite the cold rain. She must have been out in the storm for some time to get into that condition.

The boy gently placed her on her feet and pushed her behind him. He got into a defensive stance.

The three men grinned and laughed.

"Oi! The buddy boy here wants to fight us for 'er!"

"We'll show him who owns theses streets…" the second one added.

The boy simply waited for them to charge toward him blindly, as he was sure such drunken men would.

"Get him!" shouted the third one. They lunged at him.

In a flurry of kicks and punches they were all on the ground. The boy turned, wondering if the girl had stuck around, only to look into the barrel of a gun.

The man holding it chuckled, "I'll show you what happens to anyone who hurts my friends."

BANG.

The boy opened his eyes to see the man in front of him crumpled at his feet, blood slowly flowing around him and mixing with rain. Looking up he was met with the sight of the silver-haired girl holding a gun in one hand, shaking badly as she stared back at him, her eyes glazed over.

The gun clattered to the ground and the girl fell with it, coughs racking her body as she kneeled on the cold street, hands pressed to her chest and mouth. The boy slowly moved toward her and watched for the exact moment when her body relaxed. He caught her up in his arms as she finally lost consciousness.


	2. silver rain

The boy slowly moved toward her and noticed the exact moment when her body relaxed. He caught her up in his arms as she finally lost consciousness.

0000000000

Heero's eyes had widened slightly as he held the girl in his arms. Why had he done that? As she lay in his arms, rain falling gently on her face and hair, simply couldn't figure out why he had helped this complete stranger. She hadn't even said anything to him… yet he had, for one reason or another, found himself going out of his way to save her.

He paused for a few moments, just gazing at this unexpected twist in his night. Who was she? Where had she come from? And why did he protect her?

It was then that he noticed that her skin was beginning to cool rapidly from the intense heat he had felt earlier.

Heero's eyes narrowed before he picked her up easily (she was far too light, he thought) and took off toward his apartment. Soon he disappeared behind a curtain of rain.

0000000000

Usagi's eyes opened slowly, the room flowing around her as if she were looking at it from underwater. Cream-colored walls were the first thing she really saw, followed next by the simple dressers and chairs in the room. Warm blankets covered her in a fleecy cocoon and she could tell that she no longer wore the jeans and long-sleeved shirt she had been wearing when 'it' had happened. Usagi felt warm and safe for the first time in nearly a week of running, yet she wondered where on earth she was and who had brought her here. Soft shadows moved across her on the bed, reflecting the rain that drizzled against the large windows to her right.

'Where am I?' she wondered. Her head throbbed and her entire body ached. 'What happened to me? The last thing I remember was… someone catching me…'

Usagi tried to move her hand to feel her own forehead but quickly discovered that she was too weak to do even that. She only managed to lift it up to her shoulder before a wave of exhaustion hit her fast and her eyes began to droop of their own accord. As she closed them, the sound of a door drifting open quietly reached her ears and she turned her head toward the sound. The last thing she remembered was the sound of footsteps stopping suddenly, as if startled.

0000000000

Heero stopped suddenly as the silver-haired girl turned her head towards him. Had she heard him come in? Was she awake? He wondered. As he checked her for signs of improvement, he realized that her fever had finally broken and her troubled sleep had morphed into a calming one.

Heero stood over the girl, staring at her with uneasiness. He didn't know who she was, where she had come from, or even why he had picked her up that dark night two days ago and brought her back to his home. 'She could be a New Oz agent!' his mind screamed, but for the first time; he didn't really mind.

He watched her as she slept for a moment, marveling at how her hair lay in pools of liquid silver around her shoulders and hips, her soft features relaxed in unconsciousness, and the way that her hand somehow had trailed up to rest near her face. The damp morning light glittered around her and the perfect soldier forgot the rest of the world; lost in looking at this mysterious girl.

His laptop beeped.

Heero's eyes darted over to it, the Prussian depths sending the piece of machinery a death glare as if it had turned into Duo Maxwell. He walked over to it and quickly and checked it.

-pilot 01: your mission is to infiltrate one of the bases set up by New Oz and retrieve the data on their systems of operations and as much as you can about their high ranking officials. The details about the base are in the following attachment.-

-Accept or decline?-

-J-

Heero immediately responded and closed the computer. He glanced up at the girl. What would he do about her? He couldn't just leave her. What would happen when she woke up? She would be terrified and would probably run out of the house and back onto the streets, only to get sick again. For some reason he couldn't let that happen.

Since leaving her alone while he was gone was out of the question there was only one other option – to get someone to watch her. But who?

Instantly he realized his blindness.

Quatre. He would call Quatre. If the Arabian wasn't busy with missions as well, that was…. Yes, Quatre would be able to help him, and he wouldn't ask unnecessary questions like a certain other pilot would.

Heero stalked out of the bedroom and picked up his cell phone. After pressing one of the few numbers he had he waited for the other end to pick up.

"Winner Corp., how may I help you?" the polite woman asked. Her manner may have been pleasant but her voice sounded like a metal rake on ice. Heero's eye twitched.

"Quatre Winner, please. Tell him it's an old friend."

"May I get your name sir?" the ice-rake woman asked.

Heero fought another twitch. This woman was obviously new. "Tell him this is Heero." he responded coldly.

"Very well sir." The woman huffed.

A few moments passed before the line picked up yet again. An all too familiar voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Heero? Is that really you?" the voice asked.

"…hn" Heero replied reluctantly.

"Oh Heero! It's so good to hear from you! It's been too long!" Quatre replied, "But I'm assuming that this is not a pleasure call. I'm on my secure line now." He finished, his tone becoming slightly more formal.

Heero held back a wince at the thought of explaining this situation. He paused, thinking. The other line stayed quiet. He inhaled deeply.

"I need a favor, Quatre." Pilot 01 began.

Heero could almost hear Quatre smiling, "Anything, Heero. Anything at all."

Heero shook his head at his friend's response. He never would understand the pilot of Sandrock. "I need you to look after someone while I go on a mission." Heero concluded.

He could tell that Quartre was shocked. After all, who would Heero need to have protected while he was away? It obviously must be someone important. Was it a prinsoner? Quatre paused for a moment, trying to get his bearings.

"Well… Of course Heero. Just bring them over here to my house and that should be fine. I'll have Rashid keep a constant watch on them." Quatre replied.

"I'm leaving tonight at 8."

"Very well then, Heero. I will send Rashid to pick them up instead and bring them back here."

Heero nodded. Yes that would work. That way she would be able to be cared for and be more comfortable when she woke up. Heero shook his head to try and clear it, not understanding why such trivial thoughts mattered. He shouldn't even care about this girl, let alone how comfortable she would be when she awoke.

"Hn. There is one more thing. She is sick and will need medical attention."

There was a pause and Quatre digested this new information. Then: "Of course, Heero. It's no problem. It will be taken care of."

As he was about to hang up the phone Quatre asked one more question, "Heero," he began. A long pause filled the line and Heero waited for Quatre to finish. "Just who is this girl?"

Heero's breath caught in his throat and he looked over his shoulder to the door leading to his bedroom. He could practically see her just laying there, silver hair shining around her. She was…

"I don't know, Quatre."

He hung up.


	3. realization

Watery images came to her in flashing, incoherent strings. Faceless people in white; a young boy with cheery blue eyes reading in a chair near her; needles and tubes; beeping machinery hooked up to her; coughs that felt as if spikes coated her throat and smooth liquid cooling the fire in her head.

Usagi opened her eyes briefly, eventually focusing on the white ceiling tiles.

Suddenly she felt a weight on the edge of her bed and she turned her head slightly to see the blue eyed-boy gazing at her intently. Usagi fell into his bright blue eyes and suddenly his entire body was warped and she found herself looking into the eyes of a certain Senshii of Love.

Usagi tried desperately to speak.

The Sailor Venus offered her a glass of water but she pushed it away.

"M-,"she choked out, "Mina-ko… G-gome-n…." Slowly her vision darkened and faded to black leaving a very confused boy in her wake.

xxx dream xxx

Light cutting through the darkness. The void of nothingness coming closer. Empty air between life and death.

"Serenity, NO!" A scream.

"Minako!" a crushing loss.

Weak coughing, "hurry up and run. Get out of here…"

The light fading… and finally dying.

xxx end xxx

"Minako!" Usagi screamed unintelligibly. She shot up off of her pillow but immediately fell back down in agony. Her entire body seemed to throb and her voice was nothing but a rasp.

'What happened?' she wondered with her eyes squinted shut, 'Where am I?' Slowly, as the pain lessoned, she opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a hospital room – that much she knew for sure. But how in the world did she get here? She began to panic. What was this place? How did she get here?

'Ok. Think of the last place you can remember.' Usagi forced herself to remain calm and think, just as Rei would have. She remembered the alleyway, and the drunken men coming toward her. She also remembered fighting them and managing to bite a gun out of one of their grips. Running – that she remembered, as well, though only in flashes. But then what? She tried to think. She ran out of the alley after falling on her ankle…

Usagi realized that under the starchy hospital sheets, her ankle was wrapped tightly in bandages, as were other places she remembered being hurt. Wherever she was, someone must have helped her and taken care of her.

She laid her head back again and relaxed, 'Okay,' she thought, 'then what happened?' She closed her eyes.

She remembered running into… someone, and then being pushed aside. Usagi concentrated as hard as she could, furrowing her brow.

Images began to come back to her – a dark figure pushing her back before knocking the men out with barely any effort at all. Then… then another man coming at the dark figure from behind with a gun! Usagi tried desperately to remember what happened next. Was the one who helped her ok? She thought back through the blurry memories and suddenly remembered. She remembered! She had raised the gun and… Usagi gasped in horror.

She squeezed her eyes tight, 'No…' she thought, 'no, no, no…' A tear managed to leak out of the corner of her eye. 'It is my duty to protect people from pain and death. How could I have taken a life?' she wondered, horrified.

Usagi opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling tiles again. She forced herself to take several deep breaths, filling her lungs with clean air and exhaling the bad out. 'All right,' she finally concluded, 'I killed a man. As much as I want to, I can't change that. I have to move on and continue with my mission.' She shakily moved her thoughts away from her guilt, 'What happened next?' However, try as she might, she couldn't remember anything else. The last image she was able to remember was kneeling on the rain-slicked pavement and then…Usagi furrowed her brow as an image began to drift towards her… a shadowed face…

"Ah! You're finally awake!" Usagi head shot to the door, only to groan at the pain she caused her neck.

The voice was suddenly full of concern, "Oh, please be careful. I wouldn't want you to injure yourself further. You were quite in bad enough shape when my friend found you." Usagi realized it was the blond-haired, blue-eyed boy she had seen reading in a chair. His words finally registered in her mind.

She tried to speak, but it only came out as a choked whisper.

The boy immediately poured a glass of water and helped sit her upright in order to drink it. Usagi gulped the liquid greedily.

When the water was finished, the boy helped lay her back down and Usagi wet her lips.

"Your friend saved me?" she asked, her voice still harsher than usual.

The boy smiled warmly and Usagi was instantly reminded of Ami's soft smile. She forced back the tears that involuntarily stung her eyes. The boy replied happily, "Yes. Heero saved you. He was unfortunately called away and asked me to take care of you in the meantime. My name is Quatre Raberba Winner and you currently are in my house. It's been about two days since you were brought here, and I must say that you are a remarkably fast healer."

Usagi actually managed a small smile at that. She ought to be a fast healer, she thought, after all those battles with youma. She then realized that this boy was probably wondering just who she was if the curious look he was giving her meant anything.

She cleared her throat, "I-I'm Usagi Tsukino." She stuttered quietly.

Quatre smiled warmly, "Well it's nice to meet you, Usagi." She smiled back timidly, "May I ask how you came to be so injured?" Her smile vanished, "Heero didn't say but I gathered from the little he told me that you were in some sort of trouble when he found you?" Quatre took note of the look on her face. She had gone from being simply shy to completely heartbroken with a mere sentence. He could feel the intense pain she was feeling deep in his heart and he could tell how her emotions must have been tearing her soul to shreds. He wondered what could have possibly happened to her that she could have become so utterly…lost.

Usagi bit her lip. What could she say? 'My friends were killed protecting me from a legendary evil?' Oh of course that would make sense. That would explain everything. She somehow found a sick sort of humor in the fact that no one would ever believe the truth of just why all her friends disappeared, this time for good. Try as she might to hold them back, thick teardrops managed to squeeze through her eyelashes.

Quatre watched, alarmed, as the silvery-haired girl began sobbing uncontrollably in front of him. He tried his best to black out the intense sadness she was suddenly feeling and comfort her.

"Oh, please, Miss Usagi, don't cry. Whatever is wrong, I'm sure it will be all right. Please…" But his kindness only served to make her crying more uncontrollable. "Please, Miss Usagi, don't cry." He pleaded. Not quite understanding anything else that he could do to make her calm, Quatre, trying desperately not to blush, leaned forward and cradled her gently. She gratefully leaned into his embrace and continued her sobbing into his shoulder. After a few minutes he abruptly felt her completely relax in his grip and sink further into his chest. He leaned her carefully away from him, he saw the reason why – she had cried herself to sleep. Gently, he laid her back down onto her pillows and brushed stray locks away from her face.

He sighed heavily as he gazed at her. Her cheeks bore twin trails of tears and her skin was still too pale to be healthy. 'She must have over-exerted herself.' He realized as he stood, picking up his forgotten book from a table near the door. Before he exited, he glanced back at the sleeping girl, so innocent and yet so devastated.

His eyes clouding over, he slowly closed the door, wondering when Heero would get back.

0000000000

Pilot 01, Heero Yuy sprinted down the deserted halls of the high security base. No alarms were being sounded so he could safely assume that no one in New Oz knew that their highest guarded secrets were currently in the hands of their number one enemy.

He grimly continued running out of the base, dodging the cameras and moving far into the forest surrounding the secluded base until he reached Wing Zero hidden in the trees. Within seconds he had started up Wing Zero and lifted into the air.

As he hovered a few hundred feet in the air, pilot 01 of Wing Zero, named the Perfect Soldier by many, smirked as he pressed a small red button on a remote and detonated the several bombs he set in and around the base. As the flames rose into the air in plumes of red and black, Heero spun Wing Zero around and took off for Quatre's mansion his thoughts drifting back to the silver haired girl in a hospital bed.


	4. hello again

"She's very weak, though her injuries are healing well." Quatre glanced over at the silent pilot of Wing Zero as they looked through the glass wall of the girl's room. Heero remained impassive as Quatre spoke. "She wouldn't say how she came to be so hurt but when I mentioned it she completely broke down. She passed out again a few hours before you returned."

The perfect soldier gave no inclination that he was even listening as he watched the young girl sleep. His right hand, however (the one hidden from Quatre) clenched in frustration, though no sign of it leaked to his face. Though he did not show it, Heero Yui was in turmoil when it came to this girl. For some strange reason, he found himself… feeling whenever he so much as saw the girl. Somehow… for some reason, he was… worried. Why was he worried? For her well-being? No. That was impossible. And yet… he couldn't help but wonder if it was true. If he truly was beginning to… feel.

Heero narrowed his eyes ever so slightly at the unfamiliar emotions he was experiencing, hating her for causing him to be so confused. The action did not go unnoticed by the observant pilot of Sandrock.

Quatre noticed the slight shift in Heero's attitude and glanced from Heero's narrowed eyes to Usagi's sleeping form and back. His mouth formed a tiny smile as his eyes donned a glimmer of hope. He turned to look at Usagi's sleeping form through the glass. She looked incredibly peaceful, like an angel, as she lay on the bed, her silver hair spilling over the bed.

'Please,' he prayed, 'Let her be able to do what we could not.' Quatre hoped this girl was the answer that he had searched for so long; the thing that he and the other pilots had nearly given up on – the one thing that could help the perfect soldier find his humanity once again.

"What's her name?"

Quatre blinked, surprised. "Ah, her name is Usagi Tsukino. I already looked her up, although I'm sure you'll do it again yourself." He said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "She is who she says she is and overall she's a regular girl. She lived in Tokyo, Japan her whole life with her parents and had a younger brother as well, named Shingo."

"Had?"

Quatre became somber, "Yes, 'had'. Her parents were murdered a month and a half ago. The report said that she had been at a friend's house after school and when she came home she found them. Her brother wasn't in the house and is currently missing, presumed dead. The detectives found his blood all over his bedroom, enough that he could have died from it.

After that she disappeared. She was listed as missing, as well, and hasn't been seen until now. Something else is strange, though." He faced Heero, a frown marring his soft features and his tone darkening, "She wasn't the only one who disappeared when she did. Seven other girls, all teens or in their early twenties and all confirmed as friends of hers, disappeared on the same day. The police searched their houses but found nothing unusual. It simply looked as if they had just packed up their things and left."

"She and her friends could have been the ones to kill her family." Heero offered, not even believing his own words. He didn't believe for a second that this girl he had protected the other night had ever killed another person before she saved him. The look in her eyes, although they had been feverish, had told him that much for sure.

Quatre shook his head, "No. They all had valid alibis. That was the police's first thought as well so they checked it out. Other than that, she's a normal girl. She had pretty low grades until this past year and was never involved in any extra curricular activities."

Heero stayed quiet and went to work analyzing everything Quatre had just said and thinking up possible reasons for her disappearance. He had trouble, however, tearing his thoughts away from the beautiful sight before him. A few tresses of her unbelievably long hair actually cascaded to the floor in silvery ropes, leaving the rest shining around her on the bed. Her creamy skin was still unhealthily pale but seemed glowed like stars, none-the-less. After a moment, he abruptly he turned on his heel and strode down the hall, Quatre's gaze boring holes in his back.

Quatre shook his head slightly as he watched Heero move away. He looked back at Usagi.

"I'll let you know if she wakes up again," he muttered as Pilot O1 turned the corner.

0000000000

"Serenity!"

"Usa-mama!"

"Sere!"

"Usa-chan!"

"Princess!"

"Koneko!"

"Usagi!"

White light.

The smell of roses.

Usagi's eyes snapped open, gasping as she woke from her dream. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she lay under the hot sheets. Blindly, and oblivious to the pain, she kicked them off, succeeding in moving her badly sprained ankle. She gritted her teeth and didn't make a sound, however, since she was used to much more intense pain than a simple sprain. Carefully, she sat up in her bed, breathing heavily and ignoring the awful aches in her limbs – her eyes glazed over slightly from her nightmare. Slowly she was able to focus on the condition she was in. She had already noticed that her ankle was wrapped tightly, but only now did she notice how it throbbed dully, even when she wasn't moving it. She winced slightly. Her hands were both bandaged as well, probably from the battle and then punching out those guys from the bar, she remembered. She smiled bitterly, Haruka would have been proud. She continued to look herself over critically. Other than her hands, she had clean white bandages on her upper arm and around her abdomen, as well. Other bandages covered the various gashes on her body but she was still badly bruised nearly everywhere else. Usagi sighed. 'I wish I was strong enough to use the ginzuishou.' She thought. She tried reaching out a tendril of power to her power source but couldn't even find it, let alone draw energy from it.

She heard the tiniest of movements to her right and she suddenly became aware of someone in the shadows. Her eyes flitted over to where she knew the intruder was hiding before she rolled fluidly out of bed and into a fighting position, wincing as she put weight on her sprained ankle and her entire body throbbed in protest.

"Who's there?" she demanded harshly, her voice practically cracking from a combination of disuse and pain.

0000000000

Heero was, for one of the first times ever, surprised. He had not even realized that the girl knew he was there until she rolled out of bed and struck a very good defensive position. He couldn't see her very well now, since she had stepped partially into the shadows, but he could plainly see the way her ankle was trembling from the effort of keeping her up in her pose. Realizing that he was caught, he stepped out of the deep shadows into the meager light that passed through the tinted glass walls from the corridor.

0000000000

Usagi forced back a quick intake of breath when she saw him step into the light. He was gorgeous. Not just handsome, like Mamoru had been, but unbelievably beautiful. He was tall, well, at least he was taller than she was, and she could tell even in the dim light that he was incredibly fit. His messy chocolate hair fell into his deep blue –

It was then that Usagi really did gasp. Prussian blue eyes. This was the one who had saved her! She remembered now. The last thought she had had before passing out. She had felt strong arms hold her and she looked up into the deepest Prussian blue eyes she had ever seen.

Though it didn't seem as if Heero had reacted at all to her little epiphany, Usagi could just barely see the questioning glimmer that appeared in his eyes. She could tell that he was wondering what had just gone through her head. She stood straight, no longer frightened.

They stared at each other for several long minutes, neither knowing how to breach the silence.

Finally Usagi was the one who broke. "I-I want to thank you. For saving me." She told him.

Heero looked at her, eyebrows raised ever-so-slightly.

Usagi smiled, "You're probably wondering how I know that it was you who rescued me?" Heero kept his face stoic as Usagi continued smiling hesitantly, "It was your eyes." Heero, though he kept his face blank, was startled. 'My eyes?' he wondered.

Usagi flushed slightly and continued, "I-I guess that probably sounded strange. But, I remember seeing your eyes just before blacking out so you must be the one who fought those idiots and saved me." she bowed slightly, "So thank you."

Heero regarded her carefully. He had heard the sincerity in her voice as she thanked him but he didn't know what to say – he was too caught up in watching her. Her silvery hair gleamed in the little light that filtered through the glass and he found himself wishing that she would come further into the light so he could see her face again.

Usagi straightened and continued to stare Heero carefully as he remained silent. A few minutes passed and Usagi began to fidget. She took a few steps forward, entering into the slightly brighter beam of light that came in through the door. She held out her hand, "I'm Usagi Tsukino. It's nice to meet you." She told him quietly.

Heero flashed a glance down at her bandaged hand before gaze returned to her face… her perfect porcelain face. He wanted to say something but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her hair was a waterfall of silvery gold that fell gracefully down to her thighs, her shoulders soft and fragile-looking. Absently, she brushed a few strands behind her ear and Heero was startled by how carefully he studied the simple movement. However, it was her eyes that captured him in an unending stare. Her eyes were the same crystal-blue that he remembered, that had shimmered in the dim light of the street. Now they were happy and cheerful, but Heero could see that behind her mask, lay sorrow and hard-won wisdom. Her eyes were an open book to her true feelings. Though she seemed happy, her eyes were dim with such utter sadness that Heero didn't know what to think. Though she seemed healthy, he could see that her eyes were still over bright and her forehead had a slight sheen of sweat on it. He knew she should get back in bed, since she was probably not strong enough to even be standing yet, but for some unknown reason, he found himself gently holding her hand in his.

"Heero Yui." He replied.

Usagi smiled brilliantly.

"I'm glad that we met when we did, Heero Yui." She said. A wave of heat then seemed to wash over her senses – blurring her senses together.

And with a smile still on her face, she fainted into his arms once more.


	5. jealousy?

Ah… my little rabbit." A harsh voice murmured. "How I've missed seeing that lovely face of yours. The last time I saw it I was busy killing everyone you loved. And then you ran away as they lay dying for you. The senshii, your family, I even destroyed that annoying boy you remember as your boyfriend." It laughed maniacally – it's voice taking on a sing-song tone, "All dead. All gone. And all because you were too weak to protect them as you should have. You were too weak to even take care of that brat of a brother. Then again, how could you? How could you protect anyone when you're too weak to even protect yourself? You were weak then. You're weak now." The voice gave a bark-like laugh, "You have no power to stop me; to stop this. You are bound to me, as is your power, and you have no chance of ever regaining it or yourself. Give up now, little Rabbit. I will find you. I will take back what is mine. And I will kill anyone who comes near you." The voice became deadly quiet. "I'm coming for you, my little one."

0000000000

"No… Stop... Don't hurt them." A whimper. "Stop. Please… Stop it!" Usagi tossed her head back and forth in the iron grip of her nightmare. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

Heero watched Usagi, his dark eyes narrowed as she writhed under the bleached hospital sheets.

Usagi jerked awake, tears flowing steadily down her cheeks. Her vision was blurred with tears and it took her a minute to realize where she was. Desperately she tried to keep herself from hyperventilating and she tried her best to stop crying. Slowly, her breathing became more normal.

After a minute or so she was able to control her breathing again and began wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. She thought back to what the voice said… the voice of the one who had destroyed her life and her family. He was coming. And what it had said was true; she was powerless to stop it.

"Hn."

Usagi gasped, startled, but relaxed when she saw who it was. She attempted a smile while still drying her eyes, "Oh, Heero. I didn't realize you were in here. How are you? How long was I asleep?" She asked him, hoping that her face wasn't too red and splotchy while trying to produce a more convincing smile. She tried to sit up but winced at ever move she mad. She squinted her eyes shut as she lifted herself up. Suddenly, however, she felt arms around her and she opened her eyes to find Heero helping her, pushing extra pillows behind her and then gently leaning her back against them. As soon as she was upright, he moved back to his seat as if nothing happened.

"You've been asleep for a day and a half."

Usagi, still flushed, was utterly shocked that it had been that long. "Really?" she asked. She didn't expect an answer from him but instead looked at her hands and wondered how she had managed to sleep for so long. For the past month she had been sleeping no more than a few hours each day in catnaps. They hadn't been able to afford to stay in one place for too long, because of how vulnerable they had been asleep, even if they had lookouts at every moment. Especially in the last week, while on her own, she had completely lost her old ability to sleep through a tornado and was now awakened by the slightest movement near her.

It was then that her dream flooded back to her. Usagi shivered, recalling the nightmarish voice and guilt. "I wonder if that's why I managed it…" she murmured to herself, temporarily forgetting that Heero was next to her, picking up every word. Usagi wondered if she had been somehow trapped in her dream… the thought terrified her. If Chaos could do that then there was nowhere that could run – she would never be safe.

Then, very suddenly, she remembered where she was and looked up at Heero, almost immediately ducking her head back down, embarrassed that he had caught her talking to herself.

"I… uh… have you been here the entire time?" she asked timidly.

Heero paused before answering, "No. The others have watched you as well."

Usagi smiled very slightly at the thought of Heero watching over her while she slept. It was nice to have someone taking care of her again, even if it was temporary.

"Oh…well… thank you." She said timidly, "That was very kind. Um, who are the others? Friends of yours?" she asked.

"Hn."

Usagi blushed, not knowing what to say or do. He obviously wasn't very talkative and she didn't want to annoy this person who had saved her. But at the same time, she wanted to know more about this stranger who had saved her and didn't want him to think her rude –

"You'll meet the others soon, when you feel up to it."

Usagi looked up to see his blue eyes on her. "Oh." She said, not very intelligently, "I – uh, all right then." They continued to stare into each other's eyes.

"Oh, wonderful! How are you feeling, Miss Usagi?"

Usagi tore her gaze from Heero's and turned to see Quatre enter the room, carrying a tray of food.

She smiled at him warmly, "I'm very well, thank you. I'm so grateful for everything that you've done for me, I can't even tell you. Thank you. I hope I'm not being a bother." She bowed as best as she could while sitting.

Quatre blushed at her thanks and busied himself with setting the tray down.

"Oh, really, it isn't anything. You aren't a bother at all." He smiled at her fondly and she hesitantly returned his smile.

Heero abruptly stood and exited.

Usagi looked after him, feeling strangely upset that he had left so quickly.

"That's Heero for you." Came Quatre's kind voice. She turned to see him smiling at her once again, "Don't mind him, Miss Usagi, he isn't very social. It isn't anything personal; Heero just… doesn't know how to deal with others very well. Now," he lifted the covering off of the tray, "would you like something to eat?"

Usagi was stunned. Soup, mashed potatoes, gravy, a perfectly seared steak, fresh rolls and a steaming pot of applesauce – all served on what looked to be expensive dinnerware. This was what you got when you were sick in this house? She couldn't believe it.

00000000000

Heero furiously checked and rechecked everything there was to know about a one 'Usagi Tsukino'. He memorized and researched with such ferocity that even Duo didn't dare approach him. He had been at it for three hours now – ever since he had seen her give Quatre that soft, infuriatingly warm smile.

At that thought he pushed the papers away, not even caring how they scattered across the library floor. He rested his head in his hands and glared at the table. Why was he so angry? It was irrational – completely unconstructive and pointless. He knew that there was no reason for it, and yet he couldn't stop thinking about her. What was wrong with him?

The image of Usagi laying on his bed, hair gleaming around her soft shoulders, her hips –

'No, no, no!' His mind shouted. Why couldn't he stop thinking of her?!? Just what was wrong with him? Who was this girl?


End file.
